The M80 Stiletto project is funded by the Office of Force Transformation through Naval Surface Warfare Center,Carderock Division, to design and fabricate an 80 foot Stiletto demonstration hull reflecting the proprietary M-hull design as part of the Office of Force Transformations (OFT) distributed networked forces initiative.

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- The Department of Defense vessel Stiletto took part in a weeklong operational experiment called ?Exercise Howler? May 5-12.
The operation tested Stiletto?s capabilities to launch and recover Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV). The UUVs and UAVs were launched from Stiletto to search for mines in a simulatied minefield.
?The operation was very successful,? said action officer Capt. Neil Parrot of the Pentagon?s Office of Force Transformation.
Sailors from Naval Special Clearance Team (NSCT) 1 provided expertise in mine clearing tactics and procedures and assisted with the launch and recovery of UUVs and UAVs.
?Exercise Howler is a very significant experiment,? said NSTC 1 Operations Officer Lt. Cmdr. Matt Tarabor. ?The capabilities of Stiletto to potentially increase mine detection efficiency in hostile waterways would be a great asset to future naval affairs. Not only can Stiletto be used in mine detection, but its ability to carry special warfare craft and combatants make it particularly appealing to the special warfare community.?
Stiletto was created primarily to operate in littoral and inland waterways. Stiletto differs from traditional Navy vessels because of the use of carbon fiber materials in the boat?s construction. This innovation allows for a reduced build time, as well as a significant reduction in building costs.

The crew of experimental boat ship Stiletto readies the ship as it prepares to launch an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
San Diego (May 6, 2006) - The crew of experimental boat ship Stiletto readies the ship as it prepares to launch an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) during Exercise Howler. Stiletto is being tested for its usefulness in littoral combat warfare and interoperable environments. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Damien Horvath (RELEASED)Picture Hi-Res HERE

Sailors assigned to Naval Special Clearance Team One (NSCT-1) prepare to enter the well deck aboard experimental boat ship Stiletto.
San Diego (May 6, 2006) - Sailors assigned to Naval Special Clearance Team One (NSCT-1) prepare to enter the well deck aboard experimental boat ship Stiletto off the coast of San Diego. Members of NSCT-1 are participating in Exercise Howler. Stiletto is being tested for its usefulness in littoral combat warfare and interoperable environments. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Damien Horvath (RELEASED)Picture Hi-Res HERE

I like the concept. I'm very much behind creating smaller and more modular craft. There are only a few craft that really need to be big, mostly aircraft carriers, and we only need a handful of those.

My only real reservation about this particular design is the stability on rough seas.

Overall, this looks oddly like designs me and my friends conceived of in third grade. Even then we understood that traditional deck design in ships was a lame duck. Stealth could only be achieved with a more enclosed design, with the added benefit of extra crew protection and better aerodynamics as ship speeds increase.